


Let's go Back to December and Stay

by HandwithQuill



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:43:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7382329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HandwithQuill/pseuds/HandwithQuill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fill for 'A Monthly Rumbelling' Non-smut fill- Unexpected Rainstorm. Angst with a happy ending. Based on the songs “Back to December” by Taylor Swift and “Stay” by Hurt. Any lines in italics for taken from the songs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's go Back to December and Stay

Title: Let's go Back to December and Stay  
Rating: T  
Pairing: RumBelle  
Summary: Prompt fill for 'A Monthly Rumbelling' Non-smut fill- Unexpected Rainstorm. Angst with a happy ending. Based on the songs “Back to December” by Taylor Swift and “Stay” by Hurt. Any lines in italics for taken from the songs.  
Warning: Not Beta-ed a I just typed this up as I want to have done something for this event. It's only three days late!

 

The door to the Pawn shop looked just like it always did. Belle hesitated as her hand touched the doorknob. It was warm from the summer heat, a very different feel from the last time she held it. She could still feel the winter cold metal on her palm. With a deep breath, she pushed the door open. The bell above the door jingled merrily and she held her breath. 

“Just a minute!” She heard him call from the back and as she heard the slow tap of his cane she braced herself for when he parted the curtain that separated the shop from the back room. 

Whatever reaction she expected didn’t stop the feeling of her heart falling from her throat to crumble at her feet as the polite smile he had on his face quickly faded out to a blank look as he saw her. 

“Miss French.” His voice was as lacking emotion as his face. “I didn’t realize you were back in town.”

“Jus-Just got back today.”

He nodded and raised an eyebrow. 

“I just-just wanted to see how things were? How’s Bae?”

He considered her a moment before answering. 

“He’s good. Glad Emma finally picked a date for the wedding.”

“Oh! That’s great!” 

They both fell silent and she could feel the tension in the air as his guard was up. She bit her lip and look at the face she had loved for as long as she could remember. She didn’t know when her schoolgirl infatuation when the stern Mr. Gold had become something more, but as soon as she was old enough, she had asked him out. It had taken months for him to believe her, but he finally did. They had been happy together, no matter what the town said. Through the gossip, the constant attempts to tear them apart, the love they felt for each other kept growing.

And then December. 

She sighed as she remembered the night of the first snow that year. She had stepped into this shop and told him that she was leaving, that she needed to go see the world and find herself. She remembered the way his face fell as he put the roses he had bought for their date on the counter and he told her to do what she thought she needed to do. He didn’t try to stop her, seemed to encourage her even, and in the months since she tried to tell herself that it meant that he didn’t love her as much as she did him. But she couldn’t lie to herself anymore. 

“Is there something I can help you with, Miss. French?”

“I just-” She swallowed harshly as tears clogged her throat, “Just wanted to see how you were doing.”

He nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“Right,” she breathed and turned towards the door, but when she reached for the door, she stopped and turned back.

_“I go back to December.”_ she told him. _“In my mind, I go back to December all the time. It turns out freedom isn't anything but missing you. And I wish I realized what I had when you were mine. If I could, I'd go back to December and change my mind. You gave me all your love and all I gave you was "Goodbye".”_

“Belle,” She looked up as he said her name, but he didn’t continue as a riot of emotions flickered across his face. But whatever he was going to say never came and the black look returned. She nodded and forced her tears away. 

_“So this is me swallowing my pride and standing in front of you saying, "I'm sorry for that night."._ I’m so sorry Evan, and I know I have no right to ask, but if you could think about maybe…” 

She tailed off as his brows furrowed and he took a step back. She shuddered out a breath as she realized that he would never forgive her. She nodded and quickly left the shop as her tears started to fall. 

** ** * ** ** 

Evan Gold didn’t know what to say as the woman he love walked out of his life a second time. The first time it happened had destroyed him because she had convinced him it wouldn’t happen. He had been so sure of it since the first time she boldly walked into his shop and asked him out. For the months that she pursued him, he was sure she would give up and reveal what she wanted, but as time passed he came to believe that she wanted him. And he let her into his heart, letting her take over all of it but the part that belonged to his son. 

And then on that December day, she had ripped his still beating heart out of his chest and took it with her as she left town. He didn’t begrudge her leaving. Her youth and having only ever lived in this tiny little town was one of the reasons that he was hesitant about their relationship. But he had believed her when she said he was what she wanted. 

“Stay.” He didn’t remember moving but he now stood outside his shop. Belle was just about to step off the sidewalk. “Stay.” 

She turned to look at him, wiping tears out of her eyes. 

_“Before you came along, I had nothing to hold on to._ I love my son, but he has his own life. _And before you I came so close to giving up. You are everything to me, Belle. And I wonder if you know how it felt to let you go?”_ He took a step closer to her, as the gray clouds about them rumbled and broke open. _“Stay with me?”_ He reached out his hand to her. _“Stay? Cause if you say goodbye in the pouring rain, I will break down as you walk away. Last time I couldn’t find the words to say, but this time I will. Stay? Change your mind and say you're mine. Don't leave and stay with me?”_

The next clap of thunder matched the moment that she flew into his arms. They staggered for a second before he lifted her up to spin her around. Their lips met in a rainy kiss as they started to sway. If anyone saw the intimidating Mr. Gold and the sweet Belle French dancing in the summer rain outside of his shop, no one said anything. This was Storybrooke. 


End file.
